Form I-134A is the online form a U.S.-based supporter files to ask USCIS to consider a specific person for parole and to promise financial support for that person. It is not an application the beneficiary files, and filing it does not guarantee entry to the United States. Several of the programs that relied on it have ended, so the first step today is to confirm that the program you have in mind is still open.
The short version
The official name is Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support. The supporter files it, parole is discretionary, and DHS terminated seven family reunification parole processes that used the form as of December 15, 2025. Check the current USCIS notice for any program before you commit to being a sponsor.
Key Takeaways
- The supporter, not the beneficiary, files Form I-134A, and the form is a financial support commitment as well as a request.
- The December 15, 2025 Federal Register notice ended the seven Form I-134A-reliant family reunification parole processes, so do not assume an older program is still available.
- Parole is discretionary and temporary. It is not a visa, a green card, or a path to status by itself.
What is Form I-134A?
USCIS titles the form Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support. The form itself is filed online by the person in the United States who is willing to support a named beneficiary. The supporter provides information about their own identity, income, and household, and about the person they want to support. USCIS then decides whether to move the beneficiary forward in a particular parole process.
Notice what the form is not. It is not a visa petition, it does not give the beneficiary a lawful status, and it does not make the supporter a petitioner in the sense of a Form I-130. It is one step in a discretionary process that exists only when DHS creates and keeps open a parole program.
How is Form I-134A different from Form I-134?
The two forms have similar names and different jobs. The older paper Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, is a general affidavit of support used in other settings. Form I-134A is the online version built for specific parole processes, and the beneficiary is identified by the supporter inside the online system. If someone tells you to file one when you need the other, stop and check the instructions for the exact program, because a wrong filing can cost months.
Which parole programs used Form I-134A, and what happened to them?
In the Federal Register, DHS described seven Form I-134A-reliant programs: the 2023 family reunification parole processes for Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, and the updated processes for Cuba and Haiti. Those processes were available by invitation to certain petitioners with approved Form I-130 petitions.
The notice says DHS terminated these processes as of December 15, 2025. It also says that parole for people already paroled under them would end on January 14, 2026, unless their initial parole period had already expired, with exceptions for a pending Form I-485 filed on or before December 15, 2025 and for case-by-case decisions by the Secretary. Today, in November 2026, those dates have passed, so these programs are history for new sponsors.
USCIS has also posted an Update on Form I-134A and keeps a page on Family Reunification Parole Processes. Programs for other groups have used the same form, and each has its own rules and its own status, which can change without much warning. Read the current notice for the specific program, not a blog post from a prior year.
Find out if we can help your case
It starts with a free pre-evaluation. We look at the facts of your situation to see whether we can help, and if it is a fit, we will set up a paid consultation with a full case review and a written flat-fee quote.
Start My Free Pre-Evaluation →
or call us at (407) 917-2087
What does a supporter promise when they file?
A supporter is asked to show they can financially support the beneficiary while the person is in the United States and to certify that the information is true. Treat the commitment as serious. Before you file anything, think about your income, who else depends on it, and whether you can support another person if the plan changes. If your own income is tight, talk with us first; the numbers matter, and our USCIS fees guide can help you plan for the costs that go with any related filings.
Does parole lead to a green card?
No, not by itself. Parole lets a person be physically present in the United States for a set period and is decided case by case. A person who is paroled may still need a separate path, such as a family petition, to get permanent residence, and the way a person entered matters a great deal. Our guide on how an advance parole trip can trigger the 10-year bar is a good example of how travel and parole choices affect later eligibility. Work permission is a separate application too; see our explanation of Form I-765.
What if my loved one cannot get a parole program anymore?
Do not give up, and do not pay someone who promises a guaranteed parole approval. Start by asking whether there is a different route based on the facts: an approved or possible family petition, a consular process, a humanitarian request for a documented emergency, or another form of relief. Some grounds of denial can also be waived, as we explain in Grounds of Inadmissibility Explained. The right plan depends on the person’s country, history, and family ties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who files Form I-134A?
The supporter in the United States files it online. The beneficiary does not file it.
Is Form I-134A the same as an affidavit of support?
No. Form I-134A is a specific online supporter request and financial support declaration tied to certain parole processes. An affidavit of support in a green card case is a different document with different rules.
Are the family reunification parole processes that used Form I-134A still open?
No. DHS terminated the seven Form I-134A-reliant family reunification parole processes as of December 15, 2025, according to the Federal Register notice. Check USCIS for the status of any other program.
Can I file Form I-134A for someone and be sure they will be paroled?
No. Parole is discretionary and the decision belongs to DHS. A supporter should never be told that approval is guaranteed.
How We Can Help
We help families sort out which route is real and which is not. If you were planning to sponsor a relative, or your relative was paroled and now faces a deadline, we will look at the facts in a free pre-evaluation and tell you whether we can help. If it is a fit, we will invite you to a paid consultation with a written flat-fee quote. Call us at (407) 917-2087 or visit our Florida immigration lawyer page.
Our founding attorney Denisse Ilabaca is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by The Florida Bar, a distinction held by fewer than two percent of Florida attorneys.
Legal disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Ilabaca Law, PLLC. Immigration and insurance law change often and every case is different, so speak with a licensed attorney about your own situation.